Not only is singer/songwriter Alex Winters a gifted musician, but she’s also a lot of fun to hang with! She was the first to publicly lick a stamp, to sent off her stuffs old school style to my PO Box (7171, 4330 GD, Middelburg, The Netherlands). Classy sexy! 🙂

The result was getting her rocking 9-track album ‘Starting Over‘ a few days later and after playing it a couple of times, I wanted to know more about the sister with the sexy white guitar and managed to suck her into the virtual pow-wow I like to call the ‘Wednesday Q&A’:

The Dutch Guy (TDG): Can I borrow 20 bucks?

Alex Winters: A friend once told me, “the fastest way to get rid of a friend is to loan them money“, so, no you can’t borrow $20.

But I would give it to you if you needed it.

TDG: When you looked into the mirror this morning, what was your first thought?

Alex: I really should remove this eye makeup from last night.

TDG: What was the last furry thing you touched?

Alex: My warm, soft, fuzzy…CAT. Get your mind out of the gutter!

TDG: Can you describe yourself in one sentence?

Alex: Yes!

TDG: What are your (musical) roots?

Alex: I grew up listening to artists like Led Zepplin and Lou Reed, and when I got older I found that I had an appreciation for a lot of different music. Some of my all time favorite artists are Phil Collins, Sarah McLachlan, Three Days Grace, Tool, Incubus, The Classic Crime, Halestorm, Tori Amos, Yes. I love, love, love 80s pop and rock music. Broken Wings by Mr. Mister is my favorite song of all time. I had a very strange connection with that song for many many years…

TDG: How would you describe your sound?

Alex: Alternative pop with a rock core. Think of putting a pinch of Aimee Man, a dash of Sheryl Crow, and hint of classic Richard Marx into a bowl and mixing them up together. You’ll come close to my sound.

TDG: What’s involved in your songwriting process?

Alex: I’m a poet by nature, so usually some form of lyric comes first, then I usually build the story around that and put it to music. Sometimes the music comes first though – like if I’m messing around on guitar and find a nice chord progression I like, I’ll try to create a story around how that makes me feel.

TDG: Which aspect do you enjoy the most while working on new music?

Alex: I like the excitement of finishing a new song. Once I have the lyrics and chord progressions complete, and I can hear how I want it all to sound in my head – it’s a huge rush! I created this beautiful entity out of nothing, and when it’s done, I just want to keep playing it until I get it perfect and can share it with someone.

TDG: Who or what inspires you the most?

Alex: A lot of my songs stem from a desire to be loved, to be accepted, and to overcome adversity.

TDG: How important is connecting with fans for you? What kind of connection do you have or do you like to have with them?

Alex: Connecting with fans is extremely important to me. They are a big part of what propels me forward. They are the reason I am still writing and performing. If it weren’t for them, I’d still be a terrified little girl playing my songs in my bedroom for no one to hear. I get a really big kick out of it when I meet someone and give them a CD or send them a link to my music and they come back to me to tell me how much they enjoyed my music, and how a particular song or lyric stood out to them or touched them in some way. It feels really good to know that I’ve made them feel something with my art.

TDG: And social media is a big help in your opinion?

Alex: I think social media is a great way to connect with all kinds of people, not just fans, but industry people as well.

TDG: What do you do to stand out from all the rest on social media?

Alex: I am just my regular ol’ awesome self.

I share things I think are funny, I chime in on discussions I want to be a part of, and I actively seek out people I think I would enjoy connecting with.

TDG: What is the biggest misconception people have about you?

Alex: People often think I am quiet and meek and innocent when they first meet me. In truth I’m just listening, waiting for the right opportunity to pounce and drop in a witty one-liner. They soon find that their first impression is about as far from the truth as you can get.

TDG: Who is currently on repeat on your iPod or Spotify playlist?

Alex: The Classic Crime, The Classic Crime, The Classic Crime, The Classic Crime, The Classic Crime.

TDG: What’s the best piece of advice you ever got when you started out and you think it would help other aspiring artists/bands?

Alex: Respect everyone. If you show everyone you meet and work with respect, they’ll treat you the same in return.

No one wants to work with a self-serving a-hole.

TDG: We’re half way through the summer, but what do you have in store for us this year?

Alex: My goal for this year was to book one gig a month, and I’ve already way surpassed that.

I’m really excited about my upcoming shows, and some other super secret stuff I have in the works!

TDG: Got any last words of wisdom you wanna lay down on us before we wrap this up?